One Day
by YouAndIAreForever
Summary: Set 5x24. Location is different and Serena didn't make a sex tape. Everything else is the same.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This was too long for a one-shot so uploading it in two parts.**

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Serena woke from her sleepy haze as her eyes batted open where the scorching sunlight fired at her eyes. She felt warmth under her right palm as she let her fingers search the surface to distinguish what was below it. It felt like the warm skin of a man's chest. Her eyes creased in confusion, totally unaware of who was lying next to her. She shifted in her spot and turned to settle the mystery of who was next to her. Her eyes gawked open in the sight. No. It wasn't. They hadn't. Her hand quickly jumped from his chest to her lips where it curved into a crinkled shape over her agape mouth. When did they? Her wide eyes explored his body or his naked body should she say. The tangled white sheet covered his lower half but she could see the rest of him. The slight shapes in his arms defining his muscles and the dark hair that had covered upper chest; she wasn't used to seeing him with chest hair. He was too young for that before. They were so young. But not anymore, now they were tangled in the lies of the acts of last night. Adults facing the consequences of their lustful actions. Looks like they were still the two kids they used to be, 'following their hearts'. Not that it was their hearts that led them here. Well maybe Serena's, definitely not Dan's.

He was still sleeping, beautifully. He had no idea what had happened. His mind had been removed from the guilt and the distain from the memory of last night. She wanted to wake him but he looked so peaceful; she didn't want to disturb him from the unaware state he was in. So she decided to continue following the lines of his body with her eyes for a while. She hadn't seen it in so long and she missed watching him sleep. Her eyes continued to skim his body watching the rise and fall of his lightly tanned chest.

Serena's eyes were lying on his; watching his eyelids contort and waver in his sleep. His right eyelid flickered, quickly followed by the other as they swung open. She gulped; she didn't want him to see her watching him sleep. His chocolatey brown eyes landed on hers, still hazed and half shut. She could see his mind working, trying to make sense of the sight in front of him as he blinked the image into focus.

Her breasts concealed by the thin white sheet they shared. Half draped over his body, half hers. His eyes searched her face, landing on those knowing eyes that had so often spoken words of love to him. He rose from his uncomfortable position on the bed so he was sitting by her side. Her long legs curled under her body with her hands wrapped tightly around the top of the sheet.

"Wha- umm…" He was confused as he stuttered on his words. She smiled a comforting, almost sympathetic smile. Sorry for what she had to tell him. As if he hadn't already guessed.

"We umm...we...last night. I don't remember what happened or uhh why, or how…I don't remember anything." Serena spoke slowly as her eyes searched the sheets; following the lines they had made over the bends in his body and the fall of his legs.

Dan attempted to gulp back the guilt as he eyes remained focused on hers.

"I'm sorry, Dan", her words were soft, kind. No matter what had happened between them that year she had always been there for him. He smiled shyly, he didn't deserve her.

"It's not your fault."

They sat in silence for what seemed like years; in reality maybe only a couple of minutes. He fell back onto the bed; lying on his back. She followed him; resting her body on her side with the back of her hand supporting her head on the pillow as she watched him. Her eyes following his face as she watched the cogs in his mind move around; trying to fully comprehend what had happened last night. Trying to grasp and scratch at the last distorted, faint memories of the previous night. Trying to piece it all together.

She watched his face twisting and turning, his eyes crease together in confusion. Serena's gaze never broke from his face. The face she once loved. Still loved. She thought after having told him she loved him she would have been able to move on. But she hadn't. She was still in love with him; he had stolen her heart from the very beginning. Gripping at every surface it had, totally consumed with him. It was as thought her heart had 'Dan' written all over it with a permanent marker. Impossible to erase.

Serena absorbed the fine lines on his face; the shape of his eyes and the distinctions on his nose and lips. She loved his lips. Always had. He was always such a good kisser. Often he would wrap his tongue around hers for a moment as his firm hands gripped on her neck; followed by a goodbye. He had always left her wanting more.

Memories of the previous night started to scratch at her mind as she explored his face. They appeared in flickers and flashes. Glimpses of his hands roaming up and down her smooth legs as she arched her head back in ecstasy. And then it was gone.

She wondered what he was thinking about, they had been lying down for at least 10 minutes and neither had spoken a word. He pounded inside her as her legs wrapped around his muscled back. She gulped. Serena's eyes had fallen much lower than his face now and if she looked closely she could see him through the sheets. She stared; eyes wide on him. Stop it, Serena. She jolted her eyes back to look at his face. A place which was less likely to turn her on; not that she wasn't already. She needed to leave, get out of this bed they shared. Their warm naked bodies hiding under the white blanket. But she couldn't leave; every ounce of her being gripped her to the sheets. She was frozen there. A certain part of her body hoping for more.

She sighed a little; spilling a slight moan into her sound. He looked at her. It was the first time he had moved in a while. His eyes landing on hers. Although hers were far from his; in fact they were drooped downwards; delved in her own body. Her eyes flickered following the strong lines that defined the outline of her figure under the sheet. Dan's eyes trailed downwards; following her eyes' movements on her body. He couldn't see anything; everything hidden from view but just knowing she was completely naked under there, with him was enough to make him harden.

Serena's lips rubbed together slowly as she noticed her trick was working; his eyes still plastered on her body. She stretched out her arm as she rolled her body so she was lying on top of him. His eyes gaped open; the feel of her body on his was incredible. It was as though a lightning bolt has struck between them; their bodies feeling like hot fire. All he wanted to do was grip his hands around her waist and thrust himself into her. But the thin sheet was standing in between their hot skin; preventing it from touching. Not that that was the only thing standing in the way of them locking together as one; luckily he still had some restraint left and urged himself to follow his head; not lower down.

She ceased to pay any attention to him; his gawking eyes on her body. Acting as if she had no clue he was watching her as her arm reached out at her phone on the bedside table next to him. She pulled herself off his body and spun back to her side of the bed where she lay on her back with her phone gripped in both hands. He had turned his head so he was almost on his side. His broad eyes trailed her body; as they rose from her slim legs they landed on the top of the sheet where it met her skin at the top of her chest. The blanket had fallen slightly from its position on her figure before. Only a few centimetres of the material stood between his eyes and her breasts. He licked his lips at the thought.

Serena's eyes were glued to her phone, not that she was paying any attention to it. She knew Dan's eyes were all over her and she was just waiting for him to pounce on her. And if he didn't, she would. She missed the feel of his skin on hers and his hands tangled in the locks of her waving hair. Dan's eyes danced back to hers; his eyes skimming the curves of her face.

Wow. She was so beautiful, he thought to himself; lost in the wonder that was Serena van der Woodsen. He hadn't thought about her like that in a long time, so many nights he was dazed in the power of Blair Waldorf. The one he thought would be better for him, a better fit, someone who shared the same interests as him, someone who was far less complex, hurt, venerable, confused. Serena was a contradiction. She was so full of self-doubt and sorrow but she was so, so light. She brought light to his life every single day. Her shining smile that bounced off her lips, making his world instantly happier. Dan felt conflicted. He was so sure he loved Blair, but watching Serena; there was something so breathtaking about her. He lost himself in her beauty, her selflessness, her happiness. And in this moment, she was all those things.

He inhaled a deep breath, eyes still burrowed in the depths of her splendour.

"Serena." He spoke carefully, slowly, bewildered. His voice was so sincere; it spoke so much to her. Her eyes flickered over to his as she dropped the phone next to her, where it tumbled to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Picks up exactly where the last chapter left off.**

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Dan and Serena's eyes were locked together but only for an instant, before they both dived towards each other. Urgency washed through their insides like an avalanche tumbling between them both; hurriedly fighting to reach each other. His hands immediately wrapped around her neck as their lips smashed together. Her hands were in his hair. His brown locks had grown tremendously since her hands were last in them, well except for last night. For a while Serena didn't think she liked his hair longer, but it was growing on her and she certainly loved having her fingers entwined in the depths of his wavy manes.

Their tongues were tangled together, battling against each other as they both moaned against each other's harsh lips. Serena scooted closer to Dan's body, lifting her right leg over his; desperate to feel as much of him as she could. Some of the sheet fell slightly with it, revealing more of her breasts. Dan inched his body closer to Serena's, shuffling against the sheet. She moved her arm from his hair to his lower back, clutching her hand around his muscular body, pulling him closer to her. Their burning bodies glued together, with only the thin white sheet in between them; a cold ice between their fire. Without hesitation Dan rolled himself over so he was lying on top of Serena. Her hands still gripped in his messy hair, mouths still plastered together emitting loud, repetitive groans.

He removed his lips from hers and lowered himself ever so slightly so his hot mouth hovered over the nape of her neck. Dan ran his tongue over her bare skin as his hands travelled from her neck to the nearest inch of the sheet he could find. His fists clutched on the material and yanked at it from both sides of their almost conjoined contours, attempting to tear it away from them. His burning haste making Serena flustered, her cheeks turning a reddish shade as she forcefully dug her fingers into his back, desperately; a blazing fire of lust filling inside her. Dan's hands were still gripped to the sheet, attempting to rip it away from them, allowing their skin to touch. He was frustrated as each tugging only got them more tangled, so he spun off Serena's body, falling to the side; gripping as much of the sheet as possible in the process and hurriedly tossing it to the floor. Serena whimpered as he did, grabbing at his body frantically trying to feel his hot skin against hers. She didn't think she'd ever been this desperate to have him before; this unknown fierce passion had taken over her; surrendering all her control.

Dan rolled back onto Serena's body, their skin like lava causing explosions at the touch. Serena hurriedly hooked her legs around Dan's back, the heels of her feet digging into the moulds of his body. He had one hand knotted in the waves of her flowing hair while his other hand slowly trailed down her sweaty skin from the top of her collar bone down to her breasts, his hand paused briefly as it reached her heart. The top of their heads were pressed against each other, both watching as Dan's hand explored her body. Serena's mouth was slightly ajar, her eyes filled with lust as she followed his hand at a teasingly slow pace. Dan's mouth was also open, his eyes plastered on her chest. Both their faces a hot and flustered pink as heavy, unsteady breaths fell from their swollen lips.

Dan licked his lips as his hand reached her breast and kneaded it slowly; which resulted in Serena knocking her head back as a quiet moan escaped her lips. Dan lifted his eyes to watch her; his eyes flickered about her face as he gazed at her distressed face.

"Serena." His voice was deep, soft, sultry. She bit her lip as she tilted her head back down to look into his brown eyes. He gently placed his hand on her jaw, fingers framing the lines of her face. Dan slowly pulled her towards him, their lips meeting in the middle. She tried not to smile as they did, attempting to conceal any emotion from their lustful morning. Knowing it meant more to her than it did him. Their kiss was slow, soft, gentle. The complete opposite of what it had been before. Under the cover of her eyelids Serena could feel faint teardrops forming in her eyes; she loved him so much. Serena shook her head a little in an attempt to eradicate the sentiment from the moment. Dan pulled his lips away from hers, moving his head back a little; concern washed over his face.

"You okay?" Serena's face deflated a little, a smile creeping across her lips as the salty tears threatened to return, he cared. He hadn't in so long.

"Mhmm" She nodded in denial. Dan simply closed his eyes and kissed her again, slowly.

Thoughts swamped Serena's mind like a hurricane. It scared her how slow they were going. Not that it was bad. It was amazing, she hadn't felt this happy, this content in a long time. Dan had the ability to make her feel that way, cherished, loved. But he didn't love her. And that's what scared her. It was okay before when they were urgent and frantic but it had calmed now, the storm had settled. Surely his thoughts were more rational now; able to think clearly in contrast to a few minutes ago where their minds were clouded with lust and desire. Surely Dan would've realised what they were doing by now. Cheating. Maybe he had, but chose to ignore it. Did he really want to be with her?

His tongue interrupted her thoughts as it pushed deeper into her mouth. Serena's hands travelled to the back of his shoulders; feeling his muscles flex in her grasp. She moaned as his tongue danced around hers, gripping tighter at his back. Her legs were still glued to his lower back, pressing his body closer to hers. Dan's hand was travelling around her body touching every surface it could, squeezing at her thighs and arms as he kissed her shoulders, his moist lips leaving a trail. He continued kissing and sucking on various parts of her body; taking his head down so he could wrap his lips around her breasts. A loud groan escaped from her lips as she dug her heels deeper into his back. She wasn't sure how much longer she could wait for him to be inside her. "

Dan." She pleaded, panting. He momentarily paused his work on her chest, lifting his eyes to look into hers. Her eyes begged for more, the pads of her thumbs pressing against his back.

Droplets of sweat dripped down their bodies slowly, pausing at the kinks in the lines of their bodies before they continued following their trail. Dan pulled his body upwards, his length rubbing against her thigh as he did. "Oh God, Dan." Serena moaned. He sucked and nibbled on her earlobe whispering lustful words into her ear. Her hand skimmed the surfaces of his skin as it reached his neck, circling her fingers around the back. Serena shifted her head so it was leaning against his, her hot breath on his ear, breathing into it slowly before she spoke.

"Fuck me, Dan." He swallowed, desire filling the pit of his stomach. They moved their heads in unison so they eyes were locked together, both aching to be together. He urgently grabbed at her neck and drove her towards his face, their lips assaulted each other both burning with passion. Their tongues clashed together, suppressing their desperate moans. Dan grabbed his rock hard erection and pounded himself inside her. Serena let out a loud gasp. His hands cupped her thighs, gripping tightly as he pumped inside her, moaning her name with every thrust. Serena's head knocked back against the pillow on the bed, her body fidgeting for more. Her face displaying a pinkish flush as she breathed hot breaths against his ear. They continued rocking together as she trailed her sweaty palms up his body and fisted them in his hair.

Their hot bodies were now frantically moving against each other, his hips grinding against hers. He tucked his head down against her shoulder to quieten his moans, his tongue running across her skin. Her hands dug into the back of his head, gripping tightly at his hair when pleasure ripped through her body. His body collapsed on top of hers as she loosened the grip in his hair letting his head fell against her shoulder. Their heavy breathing interrupted the silence that had filled the stuffy hotel room.

She could feel his lips as they skimmed against her neck, his body slowly peeling from hers, lying to the side. His eyes fixed to the cream coloured ceiling. Once again her eyes watched him contently. Serena had rolled onto her side, eyes dancing on his face like they had done earlier that morning. And as they did her throat tightened, with one suppressing, fleeting emotion gripping at her breaths. Preventing the oxygen from flowing from her lips to her lungs. Her hot, red lips trembled as she felt the words flying to her lips one by one. Each word attached to a memory, one specific, life changing memory. All with him of course.

Serena attempted to swallow back the tears, her heart caught in her throat. She had no idea she had got herself in so deep, so far that she couldn't see a way out. The glimpses of light flickering from afar, that she used to see on occasion. But not now, everything was dark, a black hole filled with his love. Or lack of. She was trapped in this world utterly consumed by him. But the worst part was no matter how hard she tried to find a way out; she knew if she found one she wouldn't want it. She didn't want to move on; she didn't care if she spent the rest of her life hoping one day he'd return to her. Because when she said always will, she meant it. It was ironic she didn't even know it at the time, but now she did. It was the only thing she knew, the only thing she was sure of. She would always love him. She always had.

"I love you." She voiced. Her body loosened at the release of her words. He turned to look at her, a mix of emotions painted on his still pinkish face. His eyes burrowed, his eyes watching her apologetically, distantly. Despite what she saw in his face, despite the fact she knew what was coming, her lips had curved into a slight smile. Her eyes a little squinted as the corners filled with her damp tears. "I'm so in love with you, Dan." She'd never been good at telling him how she felt. All those years she'd spent lying to him, to herself. Hiding behind other men; Nate, Colin, Ben. But it had always been Dan. It had just taken her a while to realise it.

Dan's eyes remained fixed on hers, guilt etched into the corners of his lips.

"Serena, I-"

"I know." She spoke softly, with not a hint of anything but understanding in her voice. Her hand reaching to rub slowly against his arm. "You don't have to say anything, Dan. I…I just I had to say it, you know?" Guilt seeped through his body, feeling nothing but shame and anger clench around his limbs.

_"__But no matter what you decide I want you to know that I'm here for you, be- because I love you."_

Yeah he did know.

Dan's eyes were watering now too, blurring his vision. But that didn't stop him from what he knew he was going to do. Maybe it wasn't a smart move, maybe it was going to be the stupidest thing he'd ever done. But he was doing it anyway. Dan skirted his body towards hers, slowly, carefully. Confusion and excitement wrapped around the corners of Serena's eyes. He leaned his head towards hers, their faces almost touching. Her eyes still searching his, desperately trying find answers to his actions. He placed his lips on hers, very softly, almost as if they weren't there. His lips lingered around hers for a moment before he pulled away, then locking his eyes back with hers.

"Serena I feel so conflicted right now. I'm confused and lost but I know I won't always be this way. I know that one day I won't be. One day I won't be lost and my world will make sense because I will realise I want to be with you." Her eyes creased at his words, hopefulness dancing around them. "But not now, Serena. Not when I…" He gulped.

"When you love someone else." She finished, her words breaking her heart in two.

"Serena." His voice apologetic and soft.

"I know, Dan."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I know the 18 year old version of myself is just kicking me right now." She giggled in response, surprised how she could smile at a time like this. A soft chuckle fell from his lips, happy he could still make her smile. "I'm sorry." He really, really was.

"I know. I know you are, Dan." He couldn't believe how selfless she was, how amazing, in spite of everything.

He really would love her again. He knew he would. One day.

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**A/N: And that's the end of that story. I might write a sequel to this because I think I could write more from here, then again this might just be the end of it so we'll see. Thank you for all your reviews so far, I love them! I hope you've enjoyed this fic, I really enjoyed writing it :)**


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